1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,353 discloses a connector with a base housing, a cover housing and terminal fittings arranged in the base housing. The terminal fittings include press-contact blades and wires are press-fit into the terminal fittings. As a result, the press-contact blades cut insulation coatings on the wires and electrically contact the cores of the wires. The wires are arranged side by side in the base housing, and the cover housing has a wall that partitions between the adjacent terminal fittings as the cover housing is assembled with the base housing. The cover housing has a lock piece that engages a projection on the base housing to lock the cover housing with the base housing.
The lock piece has a base end and a free end that is pivotable about the base end. The free end of the lock piece pivots while moving onto the projection and then resiliently restores after moving over the projection. Thus, clearances must be formed between the free end of the lock piece and the projection and between the wall and the base housing. Contaminants, such as iron powder, can enter into these clearances and can short circuit the terminal fittings.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H08-162198 discloses a connector with L-shaped terminal fittings. Each terminal fitting has a leg to be connected with a board and a connecting portion to be connected with a mating terminal. The leg and the connecting portion are aligned to define an L shape. The connecting portion is press fit into a holding hole formed through the housing. On the other hand, the leg has an engaging hole that can receive an engaging projection on the housing. Engagement of the engaging projection with the engaging hole positions the leg with respect to the housing.
The engaging projection could disengage from the engaging hole, such as when an inadvertent force acts on the leg. Thus, a function of positioning the terminal fitting might be lost.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to increase an overall operability of the connector.